Xiangji Temple (Xi'an)

Xiangji Temple (香积寺), meaning "Temple of Accumulated Fragrance," is a historic Buddhist temple located in Chang'an District, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, about 17.5 kilometers south of the city center . It is recognized as the ancestral temple (祖庭) of the Pure Land School, one of the eight major schools of Chinese Buddhism .

History and Founding

The temple was founded in 681 AD by the disciple Huai Yun to commemorate the renowned Pure Land master Shandao (613–681 AD) after his passing . It was completed in 706 AD during the reign of Emperor Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty . The name "Xiangji" was taken from the "Vimalakirti Sutra," likening Master Shandao to the "Xiangji Buddha" of ancient India . During the Tang Dynasty, the temple was an imperial place of worship; Emperor Gaozong donated Buddhist relics and treasures, and Empress Wu Zetian personally visited to pay homage .

Architecture and Key Pagodas

The temple's most significant structure is the Shandao Pagoda (also known as the Chongling Pagoda), a Tang Dynasty brick pagoda originally 33 meters tall with eleven surviving stories . It features a square base, imitation wood structure, and red-painted pillars, beams, and brackets—a rare style among multi-eave pagodas . A smaller pagoda, the Jingye Pagoda, was built to commemorate another of Shandao's disciples . The temple also houses a Great Hero Hall with a statue of Amitabha Buddha and a wooden statue of Master Shandao, a gift from Japan .

Literary Significance

The temple is famously associated with the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei, who wrote the celebrated poem "Passing by Xiangji Temple":

"I knew not Xiangji Temple,
Till deep in cloud-wreathed peaks I came.
Ancient woods, but no footpath,
Deep mountains, whence the bell-tone?"
The poem is widely regarded as a masterpiece of Chan (Zen) Buddhist意境 and has been included in Japanese school textbooks .

Cultural and International Role

Xiangji Temple holds a special place in Japanese Buddhism. In the 12th century, the Japanese monk Honen founded the Japanese Pure Land School based on Shandao's teachings and recognized Xiangji Temple as its original ancestral temple . In 1980, a grand ceremony was held at the temple to commemorate the 1,300th anniversary of Shandao's passing, attended by both Chinese and Japanese Pure Land monks .

Today, Xiangji Temple is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit and a AAA-level scenic spot, open to the public free of charge .

Tour Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ikPX84F6-U